Feustis Illona Amulius
Feust is the first adopted child of Father Death and a founding member of the Evesti. They are known for their retrieval of an ex-temporal piece of magic from The Folk and their later warning of Father's true intentions. Conception Feust was born in the 75th Hellmark of the Halcyon Age as Feustis Illona Amulius, they were not conceived naturally but born of a magical proto-being known as the Infantes that Father Death (then known as Vespasian Amulius) stole from the devil Kalvoch. Kalvoch ruled a portion of the Nine Hells from the Iron City. There he tortured oathbreakers and carried out curses of revenge. Vespasian communed with Kalvoch through a ritual in pursuit of knowledge. Kalvoch swore the sorcerer could partake of his knowledge if he traveled to Dis, the second Hell, and visit his library. Both the devil and the sorcerer laced their oaths with magic to strengthen their position. Vespasian spent a year searching for passage to Dis until eventually achieving new magic that gained him access to Infernal Passages. When he reached Dis he met with Kalvoch and spent a year studying in his library. The two engaged in debate, exchanged ideas and generally spent time with one another. Eventually Vespasian betrayed Kalvoch to steal the Infantes: a pre-extant locus of potential magic that could be channeled into humanoid form. After discovering the Infantes was missing Kalvoch swore an oath of vengeance but Vespasian invoked the magic in the oaths they swore to create a magical barrier. Kalvoch was bound to the words of this agreement but intended to claim Vespasian’s soul regardless. Early Life Upon returning to the Material Plane Vespasian channeled the Infantes into humanoid form, it resolved into the body of a snow white infant tiefling. Vespasian cared for the baby and began tutoring them in magic and folklore at a young age. He discovered the child excelled at learning languages, interpreting customs and desired stimulating, diplomatic conversation. The formed an inseparable duo of sorcerer and assistant. For their part Feust enjoyed their trusted position and considered Vespasian their Father by all measures. Vespasian encouraged this by claiming Feust as his child whenever the question of their relation was raised. This implied Vespasian associated intimately with an infernal bloodline but he did not mind any fallout he might incur from that. During adolescence their Father’s pursuit of magical power began to consume him and time spent together was significantly reduced. Feust perceived this as them having done something wrong and began pursuing more obscure magic to please him. It was through this pursuit that Feust made contact with the Folk. Evesti The arrival of Vonn saw Feust blooming from a born assistant to an individual with their own ambitions and boundaries. In a way Vonn was an effective crucible for Feust who lived mostly as a complement to their Father until that point. The pair of them developed an intensely competitive relationship that oftentimes resulted in open rivalry. Vonn always maintained this was the greatest thing anyone could have done for them. Throughout the Nine Deaths War Feust fought alongside Vonn to conquer Henns’velt, a campaign that ended in the siege of Grinner’s Warren. Vonn would later gift the castle and lands to Feust as thanks. The war ended through Feust’s letters to Reka, a young battle commander from the Dwarven den of Drommred (later Redmire Mine). Reka and Feust discussed faith and developed a plan to end the Nine Deaths War through alliance with the Pinnacle elves. During this correspondence Vonn replaced Feust as Vespasian’s confidante and chief student. Vonn encouraged a mysterious expedition to Osmhegred. Throughout the eight years of the Osmhegred expedition Reka and Feust continued their work towards Father’s goals. They manipulated the geopolitical situation to allow for a brief period of peace and plenty. Feust began a new pursuit if extraplanar magic and started down the path of asking an important favor of the Folk. They needed a magic like the Infantes to create a new being. To this end they attended the fae court and curried favor with its many inhabitants. They remain one of the only mortals to successfully move amid the Folkscourt. Eventually through courting the Farqueen Joanna they were trusted with a Changeling Spirit. Through an altered version of the magical ritual that created them Feust and Reka used Vonn’s Flame and Father’s notes to split the magical soul in two. “Reka heated her great Axe in Vonn’s Baptismal Flame and though it was a stubborn weapon it yielded and became hot enough to cleave the shining fools' magic into two pieces so they could begin to look directly at it.” - Tales of the Evesti (semi-allegorical) Appearance Feust is a white tiefling due to the method of their birth. When the infernal artifact known as Infantes came into contact with fey magic employed by Vespasian, Kalvoch’s infernal influence was refracted and diluted. Feust has no belly button, and identifies as non-binary using they/them pronouns. Feust's horns bear a resemblance to back swept, branching antlers. Recorded descriptions always mention their 'feverish eyes' and a forward lean whilst asking questions. Despite possessing the soul of a negotiator Feust's infernal blood has benefited their musculature and they are more than capable of physically defending themselves. Travel with Vespasian from a young age accustomed them to traveling clothes though they often wore tokens from those they met in their adventures. Such items took the form of ribbons braided through their hair and horns, scarves, earrings and elaborate belts. While at the folkscourt they dressed more elegantly often donning garments closer to a sherwani and traditional Indian dress.